Lobos Roll All Over Mississippi Valley State 66-0
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico got a school-record tying eight rushing touchdowns and UNM’s defense allowed fewer than 100 yards and recorded its first shutout since 2008 as the Lobos opened the season with a 66-0 win over Mississippi Valley State of the FCS.
The win was the largest shutout victory in 65 years, and the largest margin of victory in 55 years. The Lobos rolled up 511 yards while allowing just 74. The game actually opened up with the Delta Devils holding UNM to a three-and-out, forcing a punt. That punt was the only punt of the game as UNM scored on its next nine drives.
UNM opened the scoring with a 28-uard touchdown run from Lamar Jordan, who also went a perfect 7-for-7 passing on the evening. The Lobos then caught a break when a Romell Jordan fumble rolled into the end zone for a touchdown when starting left tackle Reno Henderson fell on the ball. It marked the first touchdown by an offensive lineman in at least 40 years. UNM then scored 17 seconds later after a fumble when Jhurell Pressley darted in, and the rout was on.
Tyrone Owens scored two second quarter touchdowns, David Anaya added one in the third, and Daryl Chestnut’s first two career carries went for 64- and 37-yard scores. Travis Green ended the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown on an interception return.
Kicker Jason Sanders, who won the placekicking job in camp, was 9-for-9 on extra points and hit a 28-yard field goal.
NOTES
This was the 1st meeting between the two teams.
New Mexico now leads 1-0
New Mexico now leads 1-0 in Albuquerque
New Mexico has won one straight in the series
New Mexico has won one straight in Albuquerque
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: None
Defense:None
Regulars that missed the game for UNM: Teriyon Gipson (RB)
*New Mexico’s captains were Lamar Jordan, Dakota Cox and Reece White
*New Mexico won the toss and elected to receive.
TEAM NOTES:
*Attendance, despite a downpour right before the game, was 21,930. UNM’s season tickets sales hit 10,277.
*New Mexico’s 38 first half points were tied for the ninth-most in school history for any half and tied for the sixth-most in school history for a first half.
*UNM’s eight rushing touchdowns tied the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game. UNM had previously done it four other times, the last against San Diego State on October 18, 2008 in a 70-7 Lobo win. It also tied the Mountain West record for rushing touchdowns in a game.
*New Mexico held Mississippi Valley State to 26 yards rushing. The last time UNM allowed fewer than 100 yards rushing was in 2012 when the Lobos held Wyoming to just 55 yards.
*It was the third time Bob Davie’s team has scored 66 points (66-17 vs. NMSU in 2013, 66-17 vs. Southern in 2012).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
*Lamar Jordan scored UNM’s opening touchdown of the season on a 28-yard run. He ran for 48 yards on three carries on the drive.
*Offensive Lineman Reno Henderson scored his first career touchdown when he recovered a Romell Jordan fumble in the end zone. The touchdown was the first by an offensive lineman since at least 1975, which is as far back as the records in the press box went.
*Jhurell Pressley’s first quarter touchdown was his 25th. He is now one behind Kasey Carrier for sixth place on the career UNM list.
*Tyrone Owens scored his first two career rushing touchdowns in his first career game.
*New Mexico’s Daryl Chestnut’s first career carry was a 64-yard touchdown. His second was a 37-yard touchdown. He led the Lobos with 108 yards.
*Under Bob Davie, UNM has had 33 100-yard games (out of 38 games)
*Travis Green’s interception return for a 32-yard touchdown was the first TD by a defensive play since the last game when Cranston Jones returned an interception for a score against Wyoming.
*Jason Sanders in his first game as kicker hit nine extra points, one behind Eddie Beach’s record of 10, set in the first game ever at University Stadium, against the University of Mexico.
*Dameon Gamblin’s three catches equaled his entire 2014 season total.
*Maurice Daniels in his first game with UNM had a team-high seven tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF and a QB hurry.
QUOTES
New Mexico Head Coach Bob Davie
“I see explosiveness. I think we have the potential to be an explosive football team. We have a lot of new players that bring something to the table, as we anticipated they would. I think we’re a pretty darn explosive football team, including our kicker. You look at number five Lee Crosby intercepting that ball and running it back, he shows you that kind of explosiveness. Travis Green intercepts and runs it back, just across the board you know 58 Maurice Daniels we got him in there. Chris Lee, 59, I think we’re pretty explosive. That’s what I take out of this game. We were better than they were. But again I don’t take a shutout ever for granted. I don’t ever take 66 points for granted. You take nothing for granted. It went about as well as it could go. We started out with a couple penalties early but other than that I thought it went about as good as you could hope it could go.”
“When you schedule you don’t really know what you’re going to get. So yes we got what we wanted out of it. We threw it around a bit, but I thought Austin Apodaca would throw it a little bit better. All in all we got exactly what we wanted out of it, I don’t think you could really draw it up (any better). With that being said, I think the game next week has the potential to be one of the biggest games around here in a long time, I really mean that. Tulsa’s a team that has scored 124 points in the last two meetings in 2008 and 2009. So I think it’s a pivotal game for us. So were on to the next one now.”
Mississippi Valley State Head Coach Rick Comegy
“Well I think we played a real fine football team that executed very, very well. I am happy to see that we are growing as a football team, and it wasn’t our best performance. We made a lot of mistakes, but they earned everything they got and hopefully as we move on down the road that we will be a better football team as well. I think we needed a game like this in order for us get in our conference and execute the same way they executed tonight.”
New Mexico Quarterback Lamar Jordan
“It’s a blessing to play the first game. Everybody’s a little antsy. I love season openers. I’m glad what we showcased, and I can’t wait for Tulsa.”
“I feel like I could do better. I’m a competitor, so I always want to do better. I’m just getting ready for Tulsa.”
New Mexico Linebacker Kimmie Carson
“I think the defense moved around pretty quick. We executed exactly what we wanted to do, but there are still adjustments and things we would like to do better.”
“We really just wanted to go out there and make a statement. So I think holding them to zero points made a statement no matter the team. We did what we wanted to do.”
NEXT UP
The Lobs host Tulsa at 6:04 p.m. on Saturday, September 12 on Branch Field at University Stadium in a game broadcast on ESPN3. Mississippi Valley State hosts SOuthern on Thursday night at 6 p.m. Central Time.